The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-04
THE FIELD OF GETTYSBURG
Continuation of the Reunion of the Vet
Grams of the North and South.
Survivors of the Philadelphia Brigade and
Pickett's Division Revisit the Spot Where
They Contended for Supremacy.

/ This morning dawned clear and beautiful, a per-
feet counterpart of the memorable day it COM
memorates. In place of cannon shots, however,
the shril shrieks of locomotives broke the Sab
bath stiffness as excursion after excursion rein
forced the crowds already thronging the streets.
/ The brilliant uniforms, the flashing arms and
the mass of people moving in all directions over
the field brought wildly to mind the scenes of
the great conflict. The morning was spent in
sightseeing and going over the field. One house
on Baltimore street. in which a rebel shell is
sticking attracted more than usual notice.
| This afternoon. as soon as dinner was over,
| the veterans collected at their respective head
quarters, and at 1:30 P. NJ. the procession formed
| at the Eagle Hotel, and, led by Adjutant Whit
car and followed by the band, took up its march
| toward the place where twenty-four years before
the Philadelphia men had held their position
| against the famous Pickett's division of Long
streets corps. Army of Northern Virginia The
procession proceeded out Baltimore street to the
place where the Emmettsburg road joins it, and
| which was the outer post of Union snarpshoot-
| ers during the fight Out the Emmettsburg road
| to Battlefield avenue the wearers of the blue
badges and white hel NETS proceeded. Slowly
they made .heir way through the dust which
covered the roads At length they reached
Bloody Angle" the band struck up Rally
Round the Flag Boys" and the old Philadelphia
brigade was once more on the ground they SO
nobly defended against such overwhelming odds.
On they came past the monument of the Seventy
first, past the monument of the Sixty-nnth;
halt! and back they went past the monuments
again. Then the Hibernia Rifles marched past
between and drew up in front of the Sixty-ninth
monument.
The scene was strikingly magnificent. Ten
miles away on the west the heights of the
Blue Ridge, folding around the town like an am
phitheatre and soft breeze is lazily moving the
I'M 1ni1n md rann hYny
from Round Top on the south to the Harrisburg
road on the north, are the woods, all beautiful
ion, the eventful Sd of July 1863 emerged
and started across the mile of almost level coun-
try which lies between their sheltering gloom
and Cemetery Ridge. The stone-fence is still
standing behind which the Philadelphia brigade
made its heroic stand and the two monuments
OF the Sixty ninth and Seventy first are located
within a few feet of it.
+ A few minutes after 2 o'clock the Sixty ninth
marched to the stand erected for the purpose
and there the assemblage was called to order by
Col OBrien, who introduced Adjt A. W. McDer-
mott, who read list of the killed and mortally
wounded of the oixry-ni Regiment He then
presented Gen. Joshua T. Owen, who deliv-
the General said that the commander
of the Philadelphia brigade, when he placed
them at the stone wall in such an advanced pc.
sition, knew they would stay there and hold
that position till death. He referred to the
manner in which they got the name of paddy
Owens Regulars and pointed out General
Brown as the man who SO called them. He said
he hardly knew what to say to the men who,
twenty-four years ago to-day. emerged from the
woods 1,3OO yards away and made the terrible
assault the Union line. Let them place
their monument whore they wish, he continued
''Armistead and several others pierced our line,
and here. within a few feet of this spot, he fell
wounded unto death. The renowned phalanxes
of Alexander would not have dared to make
the charge Pickett made In closing he called
for three cheers for Pickett's division a proof
of their friendship They were given with a
will. were three cheers for General Owens.
Colonel Reilly then presented the monument
to the care and keeping of the Battlefield
Memorial Association. 1t was received in their
name by Col. j. B. Batchelder. AS as Col.
Batchelder had finished. Colonel Reilly arose
presented him with a handsome gold watch. ap-
propriately inscribed. The Colonel was much
surprised, and in few words thanked the regi
meut for its kind remembrance of him.
Before the ceremonies began. Mrs. Pickett,
escorted by General Burns. took her seat on
the platform, and the crowd at once cheered
her Adiutant- general McDermott stepped for
ward and presented her with beautiful floral
cross, which had been given the brigade by
Mrs. Reed, of Philadelphia, and which they
now wished to present to her. She arose and
merely bowed her thanks
This finished the ceremonies OF the Sixty
ninth and the Seventy-frst took the platform,
and Captain Stockton introduced General
Burns, who succeeded General Baker in COM
mand, the orator. The General spoke for
some time, but finally took out his paper aud
read. When he finished Gen. Badly Smith was
presented, and spoke for only few minutes.
It fell upon General Wystar to the
monument over to the Battlefield Memorial AS
ISOLATION, and he was SO much affected by the
sight of the small number of the brigade remain
ing that it took him some moments to master
his feelings and occasionally during his speech
his voice would choke and he with difficulty con-
tinued The monument was accepted in the
name of the association by Col. John NJ Van
derslice. of Philadelphia
Col. r. Penn Smith. then, in very interest |
ing speech, turned over to the memorial associa-
ton the tablet of Cushings battery. which was
also received by Colonel Vanderslice
The crowd then moved near the famous clump |
of trees where the Cowan's battery monument |
is erected. When all was ready, Colonel An |
drew Cowan introduced Rev. James X DiXson, |
who offered prayer. Mrs. Pickett assembled the |
platform. and Colonel Cowan, rising. thanked |
her for her presence. and also welcomed the |
brigade, whose husband twenty-four years ago, |
then aid on Webbs staff, brought him the |
order to place his guns whore the monument |
now is, and whom he had not seen again till |
last night. He then presented Serino E. Payne |
the orator, who spoke for about twenty min |
utes. Then Colonel Cowan transferred the |
monument the memorial association, in
whose behalf it was accepted by Capt s. @.
Wagner. Lieut. William Sawyers behalf of |
the battery, then thanked Colonel Cowan for |
his efforts to bring about this dedication and
make it a success.
Perhaps the most interesting incident of the
whole dedication was the presen tation by Col.
Cowan to the Pickett Division Association of a
sword which he took during Pickett's famous
charge. 1t is about three feet long. the handle
Is or mother OF pearl and the blade or 6noly-pO-
ished steel The way it came into the possession
of Colonel Cowan was thus: During the charge
a very young rebel officer jumped toward the |
gun at which he was standing, put was imme- |
diately shot down and his sword fell at the
Colonels feet. He kept it, but has never been
able to restore it to the family oe the officer, and
he has now given it to the DIVISION in order that
they may take measures to see that it is returned
to the proper persons. Major j. C. Croker. of
Virginia, accepted it in the narne of the Pickett
Division Association, promising to do all that
was possible to find the family of the officer |
Orchard Enemies. |
Correspondence Farmers Review |
We hear it remarked Frequently that the |
mvrads of fruit, plant and vegetable devouring |
insects with which we must contend to secure
even a portion OF either is enough to discourage |
in ali